Stay Connected
Atlanta Black Star/Caribbean
CaribbeanNewsWorld

Foreign Leaders to Oversee Transition of Power in Haiti, Civilians Protest Decision

Posted byBy Shamone Nelson | Published on: CommentsComments (1)

g-14669The Organization of American States is to send a special mission to Haiti to oversee the transition of power and put an end to political tension that has engulfed the nation after presidential elections were cancelled last month.

The move followed a meeting between the OAS, delegates of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean Countries  and Haitian officials in Port-au-Prince on Monday.

Among the CELAC delegates were Ecuador and Venezuela’s foreign ministers. They met the Haitian leaders as well as President Martelly’s chosen candidate, Jovenel Moise.

The arrival of foreign delegates has not been received well by some civilians, prompting protests in the Haitian capital.

Haiti’s opposition candidate, Jude Celestin, refused to participate in the January 24 run-off over allegations of irregularities that sparked anti-government protests and violence.

Martelly is due to leave office by Feb. 7, but he has vowed to stay until the country gets the next successor.

The first election was disputed after claims of rigging were made over the ruling party’s candidate, Moise who emerged the winner. This has lead to numerous protests from opposition demonstrators in the last two months.

The opposition are now calling for formation of a short-term interim government to take control after Feb. 7.

Other government supporters are also demanding that President Martelly should continue to stay in office for a peaceful transition.

Source: www.africanews.com

Democracy needs journalism it can trust.

This election season, the stakes are higher than usual — and so is the pressure on newsrooms to soften their coverage, stay quiet, or just disappear. Independent reporting, the kind that answers to readers instead of advertisers or political pressure, matters more in a moment like this, not less.

For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed independent and reader-funded. We have no corporate owner and no shareholders telling us what to cover or how to cover it. That independence is also our biggest vulnerability: nothing protects it except readers choosing to fund it directly.

Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under in a moment like this, it's rarely the independent, reader-funded ones that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Give once Give monthly Support another way

Related Stories

Back to top